title: Black children with high preferences for fruits and vegetables are at less risk of being at risk of overweight or overweight.
abstract: Food preferences play a central role in food choices and consumption. The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationship between children's preferences for fruits and vegetables and their weight status. A total of 341 black children (43% boys; 68% fourth graders) attending low-income, public elementary schools in southeastern Louisiana volunteered to participate. Children were measured for height and weight and completed a survey that sought their preferences for 38 different fruits and vegetables during the fall of 2005. Results indicated that children preferred fruits more than vegetables and that there was a negative association between children's mean fruit and vegetable preference score and their body mass index for age percentile (r=-0.26; P=0.01). Children who reported a very low preference for fruits and vegetables were 5.5 times more likely to be categorized as at risk for overweight or overweight than were those who reported a high preference for fruits and vegetables (odds ratio: 5.5; confidence interval: 1.97 to 15.44; P<0.01). It is believed that food preferences are established early in life; therefore, nutritionists and other health care professionals should promote children's acceptance and intake of fruits and vegetables as a measure to reduce the prevalence of overweight among children.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Ecology, Louisiana State University, 202B Knapp Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. alakka1@lsu.edu
authors.forename: Anantha P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Lakkakula
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanovec
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Silverman
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Georgianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tuuri
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005638:Fruit; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014675:Vegetables; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology